The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1887-10-27


where a large number Of people ha
already gathered to witness the ceI
emonles, Bishop Thomas and Rev
Antrim, clothed in their elerles
garbs, mounted the platform an
proceeded at once with the services
Bishop Thomas opened the rituals
tic services Of the church, and Will
they we're conducted, the handsom
stone was being slowly hoisted L
its post Of honor by the workmen
and as it reached its destination, tn
Bishop closed with q prayer. Rev
Antrim then stepped forward and il
8 distinct voice read brief sketel
of the institution from its first con
cePtion up to the present time, tn,
production Of Hon. J. H. Prescott
It read as follows:
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
At the regular session Of the DiO
cesar convention OF the Protestant
Episcopal church Of the State o.
Kansas, held in Topeka, Kansas, IN
the month Of December, le58, and OF
the second day Of said session th'
Rev. J. A. Affirm, then Rector Of
Christ's church, at Salina, Kansas
made q motion that said convention
appoint a committee, to consist VI
three members, TO take into cOnsid.
Grafton the question Of the establish.
ment by the diocese, Of q boys
school with power to receive prOpOs-
ais, and IL thought best to locate
such q school, which motion was
adopted by the convention, and the
committee appointed Hereunder
consisted Of the Rev. J. A. Antrim
OF Salina, chairman, Rev. J. II. Lee,
OF Manhattan, and Prof. Jas. H.
Garfield, Of Lawrence.
Soon after the adjournment OF
said convention, the said commit
tee asked for propositions Of location
Of such a school from certain desir-
able localities. Several localities
responded, but only the one ae-
copied, need be mentioned. Salina
got the prize.
Among her residents and business
| men was one A. NJ. Clafiin, who on
her behalf, devised the plan of pur-
chasing adjacent to her limits a tract
Of land, suitable for the purpose, and
/ large enough, after setting a campus
/ and grounds for the buildings, to be
| divided into lots and be sold for
| enough over and above the purchase
price Of the same TO erect a suitable
building for such school, and when
5. erected 10 turn the sum over to the
diocese for such purpose.
In pursuance OF such plan, on
| February q, 1887, one hundred aud
thirty acres OF land was bargained
for, a portion OF Mr.. VIM. Muir and
a portion OF Mr. Jacob GOttschall,
lying on the north side Of the city at
the price OF $50 per acre. Judge
Hamilton plated the same; twenty
acres was set apart for the school
| buildings and the remainder was di-
vided into 500 lots to which WAS add
ed about forty lots donated to the
enterprise by Mr.. a. +. Harsh from
his lots adjoining, making i'm all $40
| lots. These lots were at once offered
for sale to the citizens Of Salina and
vicinity at 500 per lot. In the in
credible short space Of time of about
ten DAYS, these lots were all sold, to
he paid for in ten equal monthly in
stallments TO commence on March
10.
To legally execute the plan thus
devised and now looking so prOmis-
| ing in it, features, on the lith day
| OF March a business corporation was
/ formed under the name OF "The
Episcopal Military Institute associa-
ton" with charter from the state,
/ and J. A. Antrim, A. NJ. Clafiin, a.
F. Harsh, VIM. HOgben, J. II. Pres
colt, A. L. Dodge and 81. d. league
as its board OF directors. On March
10th, this board had its first meeting
| under the charter, at the office of J.
/ H. Prescott 10 Salina, and the follow
| ing were elected officers Of the cor
pOratiOn: J. H. Prescott, president;
J. A. Antrim, vice president; A. F.
Harsh ,sec'y and NJ. d. league, treas
urer.
These officers continue as such re-
spectively 70 Gate, excepting Dir. A.
+. Harsh, who on account Of III
| health and absence, resigned as Sec
Rotary on Sept. lst, and Mr.. H. S.
Taggart, Of Salina, was elected in
his place.
In the month Of March Mr.. Hugh
King, OF Salina, was elected archi-
teet, to prepare plans for and super
intendent Of construction Of the
school buildings.
On the 18th DAY Of March, the then
| recently elected assistant Bishop Of
the Diocese, the Right Rev. +. S.
| Thomas, visited Salina In the inter-
| ests Of said school. The plan pro-
posed to procure the building was
| fully laid before him and the
/ grounds contemplated were shown
him. He approved all excepting
that he requested that twenty acres
Of land lying north aud west OF the
| school building site, be purchased
and added TO the grounds for the
school. By reason Of such sugges-
| ton the tract was Immediately con-
tracted for ct si6O per acre, and in
! three days time the amount Of the
| purchase price was raised by sub
scriptiOn among the bust sss men Of
the city.
This was q very wise action on the
| part Of Bishop Thomas, In that over
| this tract Of land most excellent
drainage can be procured from the
school buildings, grounds large
enough for all time and for q large
Institution are procured, and q beau
/ tlfni grove Of trees Of about ten
acres is obtained as q park for the
future great comfort aud pleas
uFe Of the scholars and teacht
ers OF the school. In Justice to
this effort Il Is proposed to name
this grove Thomas Park" On the
29th day OF July the contract for the
construction Of this building was let
to Mr.. r. X. Allen, Of st. Joseph,
No.
TO the Rev. J. A. Antrim, the first
mover IN the project, and 70 Mr.. A.
II Claflin, e. the diviser Of the plan
and means 10 carry Il out, and TO Mr..
HUI b King, as architect Of the beau
tiful design and as superintendent Of
thu substantial work OF the edifice 10
be constructed here, much subBtan-
,ial honor is due, and 70 the liberal
and progressive spirit Of the citizens
Of SaliBa and Saline county. In aid
ing such q cause in such substan-
tial manner a. they have, true his
tory should give recognition.
Bishop Thomas then proceeded
with the services Of laying the cor
ner stone, read the list Of articles
deposited In the stone, which we
published yesterday, and In these
ceremonies vas assisted by DR.. Lee
and Rev. Rankin, Of Manhattan, and
Rev. Knox, Of Junction City, who
occupied the platform with Ire
BIahop. The ceremonies were In